What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
PEG-6
HumectantPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, Niacinamide, Propanediol, PEG-6, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Caprylyl Glycol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Maltodextrin, Butylene Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Matricaria Recutita Flower Oil
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Chloroxylenol
Antimicrobial
Water, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Caprylyl Glycol, Beta-Glucan, Carbomer, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Polysorbate 20, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tocopherol, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Matricaria Recutita Flower Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Chloroxylenol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinMethyl Gluceth-20 is a humectant. Humectants help draw moisture from the air to your skin.
It is created by combining polyethylene glycol with glucose.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
